New York Military Academy

New York Military Academy
Toujours Prêt (Always Ready)
Location
Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY, USA
Information
Type	Private, boarding school (7th - 12th)
Established	1889
First Superintendent	Charles Jefferson Wright
Campus	88 acres (360,000 m2) 51 buildings
Color(s)	Maroon
Athletics	16 Interscholastic Sports
Mascot	Knights
Website	www.nyma.org

New York Military Academy, or NYMA, is an American private boarding school located in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. It was founded in 1889 by Charles Jefferson Wright, a Civil War veteran and former school teacher from New Hampshire who believed that a military structure provided the best environment for academic achievement, a philosophy to which the school adhered. NYMA has a long history as a college preparatory school with a military structure that enrolled students from the New York metropolitan area as well as around the country and the world.

Wright's successor, Sebastian Jones, presided over the Academy from 1894–1922, guiding it during its most critical period of growth from a young and small institution of 48 cadets, through a disastrous fire in 1910, and throughout an extensive reconstruction program. NYMA is now one of the oldest military schools in the United States. In 1975, the Academy became a coeducational institution, admitting girls for the first time in the school's history.

The school has recently emerged from a difficult period in which it faced the possibility it would have to close its doors due to dwindling enrollment and financial problems. New York Military Academy held what was said to be "the final graduation ceremonies" in June, 2010. ^{[1] [2]} However, a group of alumni and local businessmen created a plan to save the school raising almost $6 million dollars in a matter of weeks to create a foundation for a new and brighter future for the Academy under new board leadership. The vision for NYMA's future now holds that the school will be a “best practice” school providing 21st century educational programs for intentional learners in a a student-centered constructivist environment that serves the developmental learning needs as well as the unique public/civic service-related aspirations of each individual cadet.

Location

The Academy is located in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, in the Hudson Highlands, at the foot of Storm King Mountain, and just above the Hudson River. It is approximately 60 miles (97 km) north of New York City, or about one hour by car. This places NYMA in the Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley, which is easily accessible by airplane (KSWF, KEWR, KLGA, KJFK, or KALB) as well as train (Amtrak and Metro-North), bus, and automobile.

Accreditations

Cadets on parade.

NYMA was accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges and chartered, registered, and approved by the New York State Department of Education. The academy was also a member of:

• AMSCUS (Association of Military Schools and Colleges in the United States [1])
• TABS - (The Association of Boarding Schools [2])
• NAIS - (National Association of Independent Schools)
• NYSAIS - (New York State Association of Independent Schools)
• MSBA - Military School Band Association

Organization

A parade ribbon presentation ceremony.

The size of the Corps of Cadets was adjusted depending on the number of students enrolled at the academy. The battalion would typically consist of:

• Command Staff
• Band Company
• Line Companies: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Foxtrot and Golf
• Delta troop or "D-troop": drawn from the equestrian program formerly offered at the school, but no longer extant

Student life

NYMA strived to provide its students with a structured environment, placing an emphasis on leadership development and community involvement. Although 80% of the Corps of Cadets came from the Tri-State area, there was still a large mix of international students who enjoyed the local activities that Cornwall-On-Hudson has to offer.

A majority of students who attended the school, after graduating, consider the teachers to not fulfil the curiculum making so that students need to spend extended college study time attempting to meet the knowledge of other students who may have attended public schooling.

The days at NYMA began at 6:00 am and typically ended at 10:00 pm. Cadets not only attended grade-specific classes during that time, but they participated in organized or intramural sports, activities, and study hall. During closed weekend, cadets would be expected to attend additional leadership training. drill & ceremony, and maintain the appearance of their respective barracks. Upon gaining the opportunity for an open weekend, cadets in good academic standing could apply for weekend furlough.^[3]

Hazing

While this practice is officially discouraged, and is against all rules and policies, a lawsuit was settled in which it had been claimed that physical and emotional abuse in the form of hazing had taken place in 2005.^[4]

History

New York Military Academy was established on September 17, 1889 on 30 acres (120,000 m²) of land with 75 students by Charles Jefferson Wright. During the 1960s enrollment peaked at 525 students. As of spring 2010, there were 145 students enrolled.^[5]

Notable alumni

• Robert (Tex) Allen (actor)
• Les Brown, Class of 1932, big band leader whose Band of Renown provided music for comedian Bob Hope's shows
• Francis Ford Coppola (attended, did not graduate)
• Troy Donahue, actor
• John A. Gotti, Class of 1983 (attended, did not graduate)
• Robert Douglas Heaton (1873–1933), U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania
• Anthony M. Losito Class of 1982, Chief of Police for the Hoover Dam
• Martin Kunert, Class of 1982, film director and television producer
• Johnny Mandel, Class of 1944
• Alfred D. Sieminski, represented New Jersey's 13th congressional district from 1951-1959^[6]
• Stephen Sondheim, Class of 1946
• Donald Trump, Class of 1964, businessman and real estate agent ^[7]
• Spencer Tunick, Class of 1985, photographer known for photographs involving large arrangements of nude people
• Fairleigh Dickinson, Jr., Class of 1937, Past President, Becton-Dickinson & Co., and New Jersey State Senator, 1968–1971

• John W. Barnes, Class of 1920, President, Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1942–1964

Major buildings

• Davis Chapel (contains the second-largest theater pipe organ in New York State, built by M.P. Moller)
• Jones Barracks
• Booth Library
• Scarborough Hall
• Pattillo Hall
• Riley (formerly Dingley) Hall
• Dickinson Hall
• Alumni Gym and Pool

Athletics

The school's mascot is the Knight. The school competes in the following sports: Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, Lacrosse, Rugby, Swimming, Softball, Track & Field, Volleyball, Cross-country, Wrestling, Tennis, Rifle Team, Golf, Drill Team and Raiders.

References

External links

• NYMA Home page
• Superintendents of the Academy
• Sample collection of digitized archives
• Satellite image of the campus on Google Maps
• NYMA Foundation

Coordinates: 41°26′54″N 74°01′39″W / 41.4483°N 74.0275°W / 41.4483; -74.0275